Dream On 3 surprises 9-year-old Concord boy with VIP sports dream

CONCORD, NC (WBTV) - October is breast cancer awareness month... but it’s also something else. Something that doesn’t get as much attention. Something that impacts the Ballard family from Concord in a big way.

Noah Ballard is one of our #MollysKids... he is also now the latest local child to be surprised by Charlotte-based charity Dream On 3.

The 9-year-old lives with Dwarfism.

October is Dwarfism Awareness Month. When Noah walked into his 3rd grade class at Weddington Hills Elementary School, all of his classmates were wearing green, the color of awareness for the condition with which Noah lives.

A representative from Dream On 3 then surprised him with something this Chicago Cubs baseball fan always dreamed about: They are going to send him and his family on a VIP trip to Chicago to see the team play. First class all the way. Surprise after surprise, just to show Noah that they are behind him and ready to support him to show him he is loved.

“I really want to see Anthony Rizzo!” Noah said. “He's a first baseman and number 44!"

(Dream On 3)

His mom Traci and Dad Chad and older brother were also in the classroom; they knew what was going to be announced.

"There's a lot of struggles Noah is going through in life," Chad said. “But his school here has been really supportive in teaching acceptance for all. But it’s amazing how little is known about dwarfism.”

Let's educate all of us now:

The awareness color for dwarfism is green -- a popular color in class today.

October is meant to reassure children that people come in all different sizes and it's okay to be small.

Please, don't use the word 'midget'.

Use 'Little People'.

Or ‘Dwarfism’.

Or, better, yet, someone’s name. Like, Noah.

“Just because kids might live with something different than you or I, it doesn’t make them less than anything,” said Elizabeth Lindsey, co-founder of Dream On 3. “It makes them more.”

“Thank you Dream On 3,” said Chad. “And thank you #MollysKids for originally opening your arms to our son. We are so proud of Noah.”

We know some about Noah’s trip... and plan on SHOWING you the trip once he’s back. Here at WBTV we’re proud to exclusively show you these incredible dreams being giving to kids with uphill medical battles. You can see other stories on wbtv.com/dreamon3.